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Built into the cliffs overlooking the Suvan Sea, Riverfall resides on the edge of grasslands of Cyphrus where the Bluevein River plunges off the plain and cascades down to the inland sea below. Home of the Akalak, Riverfall is a self-supporting city populated by devoted warriors. [Riverfall Codex]

He was taken to a room for his exam, just above the area where he signed some form he was taken to a room where there was this large room with training equipment strewn about in an organized mess. It had been sometime he’d applied for the citizenship thing. They had set a date and everything since there were so many people applying apparently and they couldn’t just give it all on the same day apparently.

Made sense he supposed, not like he could do all his work in one day back in the berth so this was similar to that. There waited an Akalak who looked like he was trying to make sense of some writing on the papers he was holding.

“Robin…son? “ He inquired, not taking his eyes from the paper even as he acknowledged the presence in the room.

“ Er, yeah. ‘S right” Robin replied, holding on to his axe and feeling partially naked without his bow. The chap was taller than him, which made it troublesome from the get go. The weapon in the Akalak’s hand brought Robin to pause briefly, the blade was long but the hilt was also longer than most normal swords seemed to allow. Easily he could switch from two hand and one handed much like Robin could with his own axe that had much shorter reach.

‘ I’s sensin’ a theme here’ He mentally remarked. Thinking of other people Akalak’s who seemed to have such an advantage, particularly at the Sasorans where most of his combat training took place.

“Hand writing very bad, Robinson” He remarked, looking at him now with furrowed brows, putting away the papers as he approached the center of the room “ We start now” He suddenly announced, and Robin found himself with raised brows as he saw the incoming over head strike.

‘ Well petch me an’ call me sally!’ He side stepped, feeling the wind press against him as the tip of the sword passed him by. Immediately he took a step back as the attack was followed by a sideswipe that nearly nicked the bridge of his nose.

“OH, not bad. Better than handwriting” Came the remark and Robin snorted.

‘ Everyone’s a critic’ Immediately he went for the offensive as he went in close for an overhead strike, only for the flat of the Akalak’s sword to meet the edge of his. It wasn’t even over the Akalak’s head as Robin found himself looking up at the Akalak, their gazes meeting before breaking and going for another strike against his blade. As long as he still had the momentum he could either break the blade with repeated strikes or at least tire his arms.

Of course, his strategy didn’t last long as the Akalak parried the blade. He almost would have had Robinson too if it weren’t for his ducking as he threw a backhanded strike with the back of his hand. Seeing as he was still close to the Akalak, Robin took the opportunity to go for his own backhanded strike he gripped the ace by the shoulder, making for a quicker striker if shorter in reach. But that too was parried as the Akalak deftly stepped back and knocked the axe head away as he brought his sword up for a diagonal strike.

The merc shifted to the side and moved closer inside the Akalak’s space, raising his axe ahead as the the edge of the blade clipped against that of the axe. Bringing back his fist, Robin tried to do what he’d seen many a time as he threw the punch forward into the Akalak’s abdomen.

The blow struck true, but fist met what seemed to be pure muscle as the Akalak only staggered slight. Swinging his arm the Akalak knocked and pushed Robin away and on the ground. A prime attack of opportunity for him and one the Akalak made sure to press on as he moved to give Robin a swift kick.

A swift kick that was hastily interrupted as Robin collected his wits quickly and brought the pommel of his axe down on the Akalak’s other foot. The Akalak yelped, but bore the pain as he shifted from a kick to knee strike. Robin barely had time to bring his arms together in a crossgaurd as the heavy knee sent him on his back again and sent an ache through his arms, not even the leather armor he wore could take all the impact as he lied on his back.

‘ Oh by them light’s an’ whatever. When’d this get so brutal?’ Robin wondered even as he steadily stood up while the Akalak shook his foot. Visible annoyance on his face though a sort of grim satisfaction flickered as he Saw Robin’s arms visibly shaking.

Robin felt he wasn’t doing badly, at least going on close offensive was getting him somewhere. But would the Akalak let him get close again now? Did he show enough for this test or was what they did just the beginning?

He soon received his answer as the bottom of foot came to his vision and he found himself stepping aside to avoid it. Only for the leg which the foot was attached to bended and with a pivot went for hook-like motion that sent the merc ducking to avoid that very same foot. Sensing his own opportunity, Robin swung the back of his axe like a hammer at the Akalak’s other foot.

There was not time for the Akalak to gain back his balance even after his other foot stomped on the ground after the missed attack, forcing him to his knee as it lurched forward from under him and leaving him in an awkward position.

A position that saw Robin swinging his axe in a two-handed swing that was intercepted as the Akalak raised his sword by its blade and saw the head hook onto the base of the edge. Robin, already tired, was shocked by the turn of events as the back of his head was grabbed and was shoved, only stopped from moment’s of his head from meeting the pommel of the man’s sword.

“You fight better than write” He at least gave him that “Good news, you pass!”

Robin looked bewildered as the Akalak helped him up, gave him a pat and walked to pick those papers again “Hand writing, again, very bad. Hard read name and what you want. And what you want…” He paused a bit looking for that particular word and almost unable to seem to grasp as he then snapped his finger in comprehension “Strange! Very strange, not much good for you. But if work, work… not?” He gave a wave of the hand as if saying that will be dealt with when they came across it.

“Grand Master be happy too, you fight much better than in Sasaran” The caused Robin’s brain to resume working. As he appraised the Akalak and had the sudden realization that this was one of the Akalaks at the Kendoka. Was that why he was going hard against him? To get a better guague of his skill in a place outside the usual walls?

“You not good at close stuff, barely tickle. But time change all things, yes?” He chuckled, looking at hims with a thoughtful look “Confused no? Bah, no worry much. You at least good with axe, not just choppy. That good sign!” He answered. Robin could only find himself staring incredulously as he placed the haft of his axe in the loop of his pants, putting it away as he just stood there and gathered his breath.

Still, he felt the need to hazard a question as he looked at the Akalak “Uh… so uh, why’z the quick start? This a test, ain’t it?”

The Akalak looked at Robin is he said something stupid, and squinted his eyes at him to that effect “Quick start, fast, unexpected. You mercenary, already should know how fight end. End very fast, they do” Was his answer, and the More robin ondered on it the more it made sense.

While he couldn’t be certain they did the same for other testees, particularly those who didn’t fight for a living, it was a fact that most fights started quickly Unless he could react quickly to them, then he really didn’t stand much of a chance in the first place.

“Also, you training brother. Needed to see growth, not enough just see if you know how to fight.” And that also made sense, if they could see he could fight that was enough for citizenship. But that bit of training bias also demanded he show improvement. One thing to know enough for defense, another to know enough to make it a lifestyle.

Still, he hoped this didn’t evolve into him suddenly finding his trining mates ambushing him just to see how he progressed. Silly as it was, after this fight he really wouldn’t put it pass them to not try something similar.

He was paranoid enough, no need for big colored men to suddenly making him more paranoid by gods above!

In the end all was said and done, and after receiving pointers from his ‘training brother’ he had left the establishment with his next task being getting the tattoo….

Funny how final thinking about it felt. No longer would he just be one of Sunbirth’s wayward son but also part of a city that was so vastly different than everything he was used to. He was going to build a new life, something cynical in him said it was hardly going to be easy and from what he’d experaince so far he found himself in annoyed agreement.

While he imagined himself still capable of learning what he was raised to do, he also had another tightrope to balance. And then there was all the questions that only brought about more worries to his troubled soul as his boots clicked on the road.

Would he love this city? Getting the tattoo would have been a matter of need rather than any admiration for the city, and so he felt he had to ask that of himself. He couldn’t come up with one however so he chalked it up to one of those ‘time would tell’ questions that seemed to follow him so often in life.

Another question he found himself puzzling over is will he ever have to leave? He had to leave one home and now he only just found a possible new one. He stood a bit, pausing as he asked himself that question only to shake his head. Oh it wasn’t a no, but he’d be sure not to make it a yes if he could help himself. He’d invested too much already to have to cut strings anytime soon.

Then a last question struck his mind and perhaps this was more profound to him than the others.

“Will I be liked?” He voiced it to himself. Robin tended to be a lone creature, uncomfortable in crowds and what not. But he was social in that he liked to listen, he liked to hear their tales of the day , he liked to hear their problems and…. Well he may have disliked crowds but liked people. Also he didn’t want to be lonely, he’d met quite a few friendly faces already so perhaps that wouldn’t be a problem.. but friendly was different than friend and he so hoped he’d get that.

He sighed to himself, shaking these thoughts off for a time as he decided to hurry his steps to get that tattoo….

But it wouldn’t be the first or last such thoughts would strike, not by a longshot.